WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 081513

The issue of too many trees causing more severe wildfires is the focus of our first article today (1); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Mikel Robinson, Executive Director of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sending along an invitation to a webinar next Tuesday which will touch on the impact of climate change on fire management in the next century (2); an NPR segment discussing what has really been a relatively mild wildfire season so far this year (3); but for those concerned about where to live to avoid wildfires, Trulia heat maps might help (4). Forty-four major wildfires have been reported in 11 Western states (5); the next article taking a closer look at the slow process of healing burn scars left by wildfires in the West (6). As Southern California's Santa Ana season approaches, two Canadair CL-415 aircraft were joined by an Erickson Air-Crane at Van Nuys Airport awaiting the inevitable wildfires of fall (7); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Hans-Werner Braun, a Research Scientist at the University of California San Diego, was on hand for a tour of the High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network, which provides fire crews with real-time information on wildfires in the county (8); and the 3,950-acre American Fire continued to expand in Tahoe National Forest (9). An update on wildfire activity in Oregon was provided by Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (10); where a 150-acre wildfire in the John Day Wilderness Area continues to challenge fire crews due to the steep terrain (11); but folks in Eugene may be getting some wildfire smoke in their area, according to forecasters (12); the next article taking a closer look at air-tanker costs as reported by Oregon Department of Forestry (13). A summary of wildfire activity in Colorado is provided by the next article (14); where strong winds kept most firefighting aircraft grounded during the Red Canyon Fire (15). Idaho's 68 mi.² Beaver Creek Fire has destroyed at least one structure and forced hundreds of evacuations (16); causing US Forest Service to deploy a DC-10 to Pocatello Air Tanker Base (17); a video providing an aerial view of the Elk Complex Fire, which has destroyed 70 homes (18); wildfire activity in that state prompting the governor to issue state disaster declarations (19); while firefighter safety is front and center in the next story which contrasts the differences between organizations fighting wildfires (20). Numerous wildfires continued to rage across Utah (21); where a 2,000-acre wildfire outside of Park City has destroyed 14 homes and numerous structures (22); and a 2,750-acre wildfire outside of Millville is 20% contained (23); while one man has been arrested for running a roadblock (24); but an aggressive reseeding effort is being credited with reducing the severity of wildfires in that state (25). Firefighters are attacking a one-acre blaze near Red Top Meadows, Wyoming, from the air and the ground (26); while Montana's Gold Pan Complex increased in size to 17,233 acres in size (27). A memorial service dedicating an interpretive site was held in Edgemont, South Dakota, to honor four Air National Guard crewmen killed when their C-130 crashed while fighting a wildfire a year ago (28); and as the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International show gets underway in Washington, DC, drones which can help observe forest fires are on display (29). While wildfires continue to blaze across the West, the 2012 South Carolina Tree Farmer of the Year discusses important steps landowners can take to prevent wildfires across the South (30); while Florida Forest Service is dispatching more firefighters to help battle wildfires in the West (31). A summary of wildfire activity in Alaska's Interior is provided by the next article (32). Air resources were called in to help battle a 1.5 ha wildfire burning on the shores of McLeese Lake in British Columbia, Canada (33); lightning being blamed for several blazes in the Salmon Arm zone (34). New wildfires were reported in the European nations of Italy, Croatia, and Cyprus (35); while an irregular weather pattern is forcing the government of Indonesia to make hasty preparations for more wildfires as a new dry season begins (36). Heading to Australia, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Bushfire CRC, sent along a link to the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC August Newsletter (37); but a new report indicates that the habitat of Victoria's Leadbeater's possum needs to expand after the devastation wrought to it by the Black Saturday bushfires (38). Although authorities have re-opened the Sunshine Motorway, dozens of Queensland Fire and Rescue Services firies continued to battle a bushfire that forced the evacuation of hundreds from the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE (39); even as New South Wales continues to experience unseasonable heat, forcing Narrabri Bushfire Management Committee to decide whether to advance the Bushfire Danger Period by a month (40). And finally, the animators at Pixar have turned their focus towards aerial firefighting with a new offering: ‘Planes: Fire and Rescue’!

(1) Cut a Tree, Prevent Intense Wildfires

(2) Fire Management, Fuels and Climate Change Tipping Points

(3) 2013 Wildfire Season Proving To Be More Mild Than Wild

(4) Worried about wildfires or floods? Trulia heat maps help find safest places to live

(5) 44 wildfires rage across 11 states - and more could be on the way

(6) Wildfire Burn Scars: How Long Until They Heal?

(7) Super Scoopers arrive from Canada to help fight SoCal wildfires

(8) County firefighting never before so high-tech

(9) Placer County forest fire expands to 3,950 acres

(10) Forest Fire Updates for August 15th

(11) Fire near Vinegar Hill draws air attack

(12) Some forest fire smoke reaches Eugene

(13) Air Tanker Costs Adding Up Quickly

(14) Wildfire near Glenwood Springs burns on 390 acres

(15) Water Drops Made On Red Canyon Fire

(16) Fire burns west of Sun Valley, torches structure

(17) State fires draw air tanker into Pocatello

(18) Aerial view of Idaho wildfires show a wide path of destruction

(19) Governor Otter issues state disaster declaration to help firefighting efforts

(20) Are Changes in Wildland Firefighting Coming Amid Deadly Season?

(21) Utah wildfires: A look at blazes burning across the state

(22) Utah fire destroys 14 homes near resort town

(23) Forest Service: Millville Fire at 2,750 acres, structures threatened

(24) Summit County fire keeps people from homes; one man arrested

(25) Statewide reseeding efforts kept wildfires from doing more damage, officials say

(26) Forest Fire! Red Top Meadows (Video enhanced)

(27) 2 wildfires added to Gold Pan Complex fire

(28) News: Ceremony honors NC Guardsmen killed fighting fire

(29) Drones descend on Washington – just for show

(30) TREE Talk: Landowners can help reduce threat of runaway wild fires

(31) Florida Forest Service sends more crews west to help with wildfires

(32) Interior Alaska wildfires spreading as warm, dry weather continues

(33) Update: Wildfire at McLeese Lake in the Robertson Road area

(34) Lightning sparks blaze

(35) EFFIS - Current Situation

(36) Govt prepared for forest

(37) Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC August Newsletter

(38) Possum 'needs more room' to survive

(39) Bushfire threat closes Sunshine Motorway, Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE evacuated

(40) Hot days spark early fears over bushfires

(41) ‘Planes: Fire and Rescue’ First Details and Casting Revealed